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People group profile · PG016983

The Krenak of Brazil

The Krenak of Brazil, numbering about 350 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Botocudo-descended people of Minas Gerais who revere the Rio Doce as Watu, or grandfather, and endured a state-run agricultural reformatory in the 1970s before the 2015 Fundao dam disaster poisoned the river central to their cosmology.

They are an indigenous people in the South American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Portuguese.

Pray for the KrenakPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Krenak people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Krenak

Fast facts

Country
Brazil
Population
350
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
South American Indigenous
Primary language
Portuguese (por)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
South America, Americas
Location
Minas Gerais: between Conselheiro Pena and Resplendor towns; São Paulo: small enclave; Doce river east bank

Where they live

Gospel status

The Krenak are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Krenak

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Ethnoreligion

90% adherents

Primary language

Portuguese · Indo-European family

100% speak Portuguese

Gospel resources in Portuguese

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Krenak

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

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